Reverse-current device for circuit-breakers.



Patented Sept. 2, [902.

I H. P. BALL. REVERSE CURRENT DEVICE FOR CIRCUIT BREAKERS.

(Application filed Jan. 29, 1902.)

(No Model.)

THE Noam PETERS c0.. PHOYO-LITHQ, WBHiNGTON. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY PRICE BALL, OF NEl/V YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL INOAN- DESOENT ARC LIGHT COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

REVERSE-CURRENT DEVICE FOR CIRCUIT-BREAKERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 708,008, dated September 2, 1902.

Application filed January 29,1902. Serial No. 91,744. (No modeLl T aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY PRICE BALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, county and State of New York,

have invented anew and Improved Reverse- OurrentDevice for Oircuit-Breakers,of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of a device which may be used in connection with any type of cirro cuit-breaker or other device,and which hasfor its object to open a circuit-breaker should the direction of flow of current in the circuit in which the device is included be reversed.

The accompanying drawings will serve to illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a circuitbreaker and a vertical section of the reversecurrent device. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a circuit-breaker and the reverse-current device,'also showing diagrammatically the circuit connections. Fig. 3 is a transverse section showing the casing and supports for the oscillating armature of the reverse-current device.

In a former patent, No. 686,918, dated November19,1901, 1 have described and claimed the construction of the circuit-breaker shown.

in the accompanying drawings. It will therefore only be necessary to refer to such con- 0 struction in general terms and after describing the construction of the reverse-cur rent device point out the relation of the two devices.

5 represents a suitable supporting-base or 3 5 switchboard; 6, bracket pivotally supporting a switch-blade 7; 8, latch for holding the switch-blade in a closed position 9, insulated bar located under latch; 10, electromagnet; 11, armature of magnet; 12, pin located below the insulated bar 9 and over the armature 11; 13, spring bridge-piece, which when the circuit is closed bridges the circuit-terminals 14:.

All of the parts mentioned collectively form 5 a circuit-breaker adapted to break the circuit within which it is included upon an increase of the current transmitted above a predetermined amount. I will now describe the reverse-current device.

Mounted on the supporting-base or switchboard is a rectangular frame 15, and secured within this frame is a magnet 16. The front portion of the frame 15 is cut away to receive the armature 17. This armature consists of a fixed metallic core 18, on which is loosely wound a vertically-disposed coil 19. Secured to the front and back of the coil are the pivots 20, which are carried in jeweled bearings 21, Fig. 3. Located below the armature and carried by the frame 15 are three cups containing mercury 22 23 24, and carried by the armature-coil are the depending fingers 25, 26, and 27. The fingers 25 and 26 are immersed, respectively, in the mercury-cups 22 23, and the finger 27 is shown as out of the mercurycup 2-1, but in such relation thereto as upon rotation of the armature to be immersed in the cup.

28 29 represent a casing for inclosing the armature; 30, an auxiliary magnet having its armature 31 connected to a strap 32 on the insulated bar 9 of the circuit-breaker.

The circuit connections between the reverse-current device and the circuit-breaker and the relation of these two devices to the main circuit in which they are included are shown in Fig. 2.

A B represent the main-line conductors; C, dynamo. The main-line conductor A is connected to one terminal of the magnet 10 of the circuit-breaker, which when the circuit through the switch-blade 7 of the circuitbreaker is closed is in series with the magnet 16 of the reverse-current device, which latter through one terminal is connected to the opposite main-line conductor B. The same ter-' minal of the magnet 16 is connected through conductor D to the mercury in the cup 23, and the mercury in the cup 22 is connected through the conductor E to the main-line conductor A. One terminal of the auxiliary magnet 30 is connected through the conductor F to the main-line conductor A, and the other terminal is connected through the conductor G to the mercury in the cup 24:.

The operation of the reverse-current device is as follows: When a current having a predetermined direction of flow is transmitted through the device, the current passes through the magnet 16 and through the oscillating coil 19 on the armature 17. The result is an angular movement of the armature to ICO the right. Should, however, the direction of transmission of power be reversed, the an gular movement of the armature will be to the left. This will cause the depending finger 27 to be immersed in the mercury-cup 24, and thereby close the circuit through the auxiliary magnet 30, which in turn will attract its armature and lift the insulated bar 9 of the circuit-breaker, which,acting under the latch 8, will release the switch-blade 7 of the circuit-breaker and open the circuit of the main line.

It will be obvious that the described reverse-current device may be employed with any type of circuit-breaker or other device which it is desirable to set in motion or actuated when the direction of transmission of power is reversed; further, that the device Which may be energized to actuate the circuit-breaker or other device intended to be acted upon by the reverse current may differ from the auxiliary magnet shown and described without departing from the intent of my invention. Further, instead of using the depending fingers and mercury-cups I may use other Well-known devices for maintaining a current through the coilof the oscillating armature and for establishing a circuit by the movement of such armature; further, that the device may be used with an alternating current by making slight changes in its construction and connections to the circuit within which it is employed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a device such as described, a magnet, an armature comprising a fixed core and a pivoted oscillating coil, an auxiliary magnet, and means carried by the coil for closing a circuit through the auxiliary magnet when the direction of current through the firstnamed magnet is reversed.

2. In a device such as described, a magnet, an armature comprising a fixed core and an oscillating coil pivoted at its center, an auxiliary magnet, and means carried by the coil for closing an electric circuit through the auxiliary magnet.

3. In a device such as described, a magnet, an armature comprising a fixed core and a pivoted oscillating coil, an auxiliary magnet, means carried by the coil for connecting said coil in circuit with a source of energy, and means carried by the coil for establishing an electric circuit throughthe auxiliary magnet.

4. In a device such as described, a magnet,

provided with a coil, an armature having a fixed core and oscillatingcoil, the coil of the reacts the coil of the armature for energizing the electroresponsive device.

5. In a device such as described, a magnet, an armature carrying a coil in circuit with a source of energy, an electroresponsive device, and means carried by the armature for c1osing the current through the electroresponsive device.

6. In a device such as described, the combination of a magnet, a pivoted armature carrying a coil, depending fingers from the terminals of said coil, mercury-cups attached to the terminals of the source of energy, an electroresponsive device connected through one terminal to the source of energy and through the other terminal to a mercury-cup under the armature, and a depending finger carried by said armature which when immersed in the last-mentioned mercury-cup will close a circuit through said electroresponsive device.

7. In combination with a circuit-breaker, a device adapted to trip the circuit-breaker, said device consisting of a fixed member and an oscillating member, both members permanently in circuit with a source of energy, an auxiliary magnet, and a device carried by the oscillating member for closing a circuit through the auxiliary magnet upon a reversal of current from the source of energy.

8. In combination with a circuit-breaker, a reverse-current device comprising a magnet having a coil, an armature having a fixed core and a movable coil, said coils connected in parallel with each other and in series with the magnet of the circuit-breaker, and means energized by the movement of the armature-coil to open said circuit-breaker when the normal angular inclination of the armature is altered.

9. In a device such as described, the combination of a supporting-base, a frame projecting therefrom, a magnet, pivotal bearings on said frame, an armature-coil adapted to oscillate in said bearings, a fixed core for the armature, a series of troughs supported by said frame and carrying a conducting liquid, and fingers carried by said coil adapted to coact with the liquid in said troughs.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY PRICE BALL. 

